Kifaru Argali

[Pac8541]

Well... the "last pack I'll ever need" (Nomad) turned into the last pack I've sold. It was great and super versatile but I found out it just isn't my style. There are definitely advantages to a pack design like that but the more I used it day to day, the more I found myself wanting something simpler. Maybe I'm getting lazy but dealing with all those straps and having to think so much as to what needs to go where in order for it to work efficiently became too much of a mental exercise.

 

So here's the next, last pack I'll ever need. It's frickin' huge. My wife got in it and it literally extends up to the top of her hips standing straight up. I put all my hunting clothing and a sleeping bag in it to fill it out a bit for photos. I ordered both large and small belt pouches, a mini belt pouch, and a grab it along with it. I was gonna run the large pouch on the lid to try and avoid ordering a guide lid but although there are webbing tabs up there, they're oriented wrong for the belt pouch to fit well. And the spacing is wrong for the tri-glides to fit through. It attaches but not right. The whole package is pretty dang light. I don't have a suitable scale to put it on but there's no doubt its lighter than my nomad was. Pretty cool. Can't wait to get blood on it.

 

 

[208muley]

This is the bag im looking at as well. Which frame do you have?

[Pac8541]

That is a 24" hunting platform with composite stays. At some point I'm gonna try running arrows but for the time being, this is pretty comfortable. The torso pads are way softer on this version than the former Duplex. And I got a small belt this time versus the med that was on the last one. I found myself constantly trying to tighten the med belt so I sized down this time.

 

The small and mini pouches are mounted on the belt and the large on the side of the bag. I think I'll pick up a guide lid, spotting scope pouch, and a few smaller ones in either fusion or typhon. Leaning towards the former cuz I love that pattern and kyrptic has always felt like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. I dunno.

[208muley]

Cool deal. If you don't mind I may ask to come check out this setup... It's pretty much what I'm looking for. Before I plunk down about 7 bills I wanna see if it is what I think it is. Do you have the flat stays or the curved stays?

[Pac8541]

Absolutely no problem. You are more than welcome to take a look. I'm way out in QC though but I'd be happy to arrange a time to meet when I'm in Phx. I'll pm my number and we'll set it up.

 

These stays are the "normal back" version which has some curve to them. Like I mentioned above, I'll try arrows for stays at some point and see how it feels. I figure to use this for my back country fly fishing and since I won't need to consider carrying a ton of weight for that, it may be just the ticket I was hoping for.

[Pac8541]

I don't know what you guys have for blaze orange panels but I found this also. Someone on Rokslide posted a link and for $12 I figured I couldn't go wrong. Last year's scouting trip for the late elk archery season happened to be during a late rifle deer season. It was a little unnerving sitting on a tank at dawn and seeing gun hunters cruising into position on the ridge across from me. I had no orange on; totally my fault for putting myself in that position but it won't repeat itself this year. This thing velcros on at each corner and weighs nothing. Simple, effective idea. Its a company called Orange Aglow.

 

[WampusCat]

I'm pumped you posted this. I've had this and the Markhor in my cart for a week and can't decide. I also wonder why the Tahr has attachment for the 3-bar sliders all the way up the side but the didnt do it on the two bigger packs. I felt like the markhor with the ability to put a scope pocket on either side as well as the back would be perfect for those extra long hauls where I needed to cubic inches. The Argali definitely meets the inches requirement, just not as modular.

 

Do your large belt pockets attach with all 4 sliders? Thanks for throwing this up.

 

What is your waist size? Interested in how that small belt fits. Im right at the upper end of the smalls adjustment according to the website.

[Pac8541]

I'm pumped you posted this. I've had this and the Markhor in my cart for a week and can't decide. I also wonder why the Tahr has attachment for the 3-bar sliders all the way up the side but the didnt do it on the two bigger packs. I felt like the markhor with the ability to put a scope pocket on either side as well as the back would be perfect for those extra long hauls where I needed to cubic inches. The Argali definitely meets the inches requirement, just not as modular.

 

Do your large belt pockets attach with all 4 sliders? Thanks for throwing this up.

 

What is your waist size? Interested in how that small belt fits. Im right at the upper end of the smalls adjustment according to the website.

Totally understand your hesitation. I wanted the exact same design: a Markhor with the attachment tabs all the way up the sides, and for the same reasons. I got a hold of Frank and Aron at Kifaru and asked them the same questions about the attachment tabs. Aron told me to just request a custom mod to the Argali and they'd do it. Then Frank told me they weren't doing custom mods for the foreseeable future because they basically didn't have the time. I imagine that has something to do with the debut of their 2 new packs. Aron said the Argali is more versatile with its ability to fold the top down and buckle it shut with the vertical compression straps. The Markhor can't do this. He also said it compresses better than the Markhor. But the biggest reason I chose the larger Argali was my 4 day fly fishing trip to the Yellowstone last Aug. It was a 5 mile hike from the trailhead into the river and I was carrying everything for the camp out plus 2 rods, a net, and a full set of waders and boots. That takes up a lot of space in a pack. On the hike out they were still wet too so they got considerably heavier. I had the entire camp bag on the Nomad stuffed then strapped my waders and boots to the top of the lid to dry on the way. The Nomad has the ability to expand to 7000ci but with a bunch of pockets on both wings plus the camp bag. This seemed like a much simpler and cleaner way to do it, and be lighter overall. So that prospect on top of the fact that I WILL BE PACKING OUT MEAT THIS NOV sealed the deal for me. I've got a local sewer who's well equipped and skilled at modifying cordura and I'm gonna have him add the tabs up the sides at some point.

 

 

The large belt pouch attaches will all 4 sliders, so do the small and mini belt pouches on the belt.

 

My waist fluctuates between 31 and 33 inches. Trying it on this afternoon wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt fit well with room to expand. The front ends of the padding hit at the front corners of my hips.

[WampusCat]

Thanks for the report! I was just talking to Aron online and he pointed me in the same direction. I hang around 32-34" so I was torn on the belt.

[DWarcher]

Here's an option for any of you guys that are wanting to do mods on your K packs:

 

 

www.ntcolorado.com/products/custom-work

[Pac8541]

Great link man, thanks for sharing that. I can tell you already they will be getting business from me in one form or another.

[WampusCat]

Had to slide the Argali to the right after memorial day sales from S&S archery, Kuiu, and the Outdoorsman's took a chunk out of my "discretionary fund". Have you loaded yours up and took it for a spin yet?

[Pac8541]

Had to slide the Argali to the right after memorial day sales from S&S archery, Kuiu, and the Outdoorsman's took a chunk out of my "discretionary fund". Have you loaded yours up and took it for a spin yet?

 

Nice man, hope you got some good stuff! I was VERY tempted to buy one of those micro pan heads but in the end, I figured I've got a little time on my hands before I really need to do that.

 

I haven't loaded her up and done any humping yet. Maybe 20lbs so far but honestly, I'm a little cautious at the moment to really go for it. I head out of state for 4 weeks middle of the month and will be taking this along. Not because I'm doing man sh!t with it then but to see how it compresses down as a day pack. I may also make a run up to the Kifaru shop to poke around and buy accessories in person. I've got an idea or 2 I'd like to discuss with them face to face.

[PelaPapas]

Thats a really nice pack. Kifaru always has some great looking packs. Looks like it got the job done for your trip to yellowstone.

[Pac8541]

Thats a really nice pack. Kifaru always has some great looking packs. Looks like it got the job done for your trip to yellowstone.

That was actually with the previous Nomad. Great pack and very versatile, I absolutely loved it as a day hunting pack. But again, I needed something a little simpler with less "strapiness." I love the way the Argali's compression straps are configured. The fact that they sewed the short end to the outside front of the pack makes all the difference in terms of strap management. The adjustment or compression end is on the side of the pack, near the frame. And there are now captured velcro strap managers included on each one.

 

That Yellowstone photo was using the Nomad's max capacity of 7000ci, without my boots inside. Waders take up a ton of space...